The present invention generally relates to rotational control apparatus, particularly to rotational control apparatus with variable actuation methods, more particularly to rotational control apparatus which can be assembled to be either fluid engaged or fluid released, and specifically, in the preferred form, to a brake with variable actuation methods.
In rotation control, many apparatus rely upon fluid pressure to create motion and force. The motion and force are transmitted through an axially moving piston which moves an interface facing relative to an interface surface. When the interface facing is forced against the interface surface, their interface causes the input to match the rotational speed of the interface facing which in the preferred form of a brake is zero. The force of the interface is directly dependent on the area or size of the interface facing and surface.
When fluid pressure is relied upon to create motion and force in one direction, motion and force is often created in the opposite direction by springs. Specifically, springs tend to bias the interface facing to move in a first direction and fluid pressure tends to move the interface facing in the opposite direction against the bias of the spring force. It of course can also be realized that the first direction can be towards or away from the interface surface, and there are applications when one or the other would be best. As an example, in a brake application, it is often desired that spring force move the interface facing toward the interface surface because in the event of a power failure, rotation is braked as a safety precaution rather than allowing the possibility of free rotation of the input.
Conventionally, rotational control apparatus were typically manufactured for a particular actuation method, namely for being spring engaged or spring released. The disadvantage of such prior practice is that the components, especially the larger cast components, are unique for each application. Thus, increased capital costs for casting and inventory result because generally two sets of different components are required. This is especially a problem for larger size apparatus as the casting costs are amplified because of the larger size components and because the reduced demand for large size apparatus in comparison to the numbers of apparatus sold for smaller size applications.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,425,993 and 4,460,079 are examples of prior attempts to address this problem. However, these constructions have limited utility to particular applications, with these constructions showing the desirability of variable actuation methods but do not provide the suggestion of accomplishing that desirability in other applications and/or in other manners.
Thus, a need continues to exist for rotational control apparatus with variable actuation methods to reduce the number of different components which are needed to be manufactured and inventoried and which have utility in more varied applications.
The present invention solves this need and other problems in the field of rotational control apparatus with variable actuation methods by providing, in the preferred form, rotationally positioning a first plate including an interface facing upon an input with the interface facing adapted to interface with an interface disc of the input. A piston is slideably received in a piston cavity in a housing which is rotatably mounted on the input. The housing is rotatably mounted on the input in one of two positions, and specifically where slideable movement of the piston out of the piston cavity is towards the interface disc causing interface between the interface disc and facing in the first position or is away from the interface disc causing axial separation of the interface disc and facing in the second position.
In most preferred forms, the housing includes first and second axial sides and is positioned in one of the first and second positions by flipping so that either the first or the second axial side is initially slideably received on the input.
In preferred aspects, the housing includes both engaging spring cavities formed on the axial side opposite to the piston cavity and countersinks formed on the same axial side as the engaging spring cavities but for receiving release springs and concentric to the through bores for receiving actuation interconnection spacer elements for spring engaged actuation.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for controlling rotation of an input.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus with variable actuation methods.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus of different actuation methods but generally formed of the same components.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus of different actuation methods utilizing the same fluid cavity defined by a piston and piston cavity in the housing.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus where the housing can be positioned on the input to allow the piston sliding out of the piston cavity to move towards or away from the interface disc.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus in the preferred configuration of a brake where the housing is held in a stationary condition.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such novel rotational control apparatus having variable actuation methods and having utility in more varied applications.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.